SR 28 - Wenatchee Eastside Corridor Study

View entire photo. Traffic volume has grown to the point that more stop lights & turn pockets only add to the congestion. Residential, business, agriculture, school and Canada-bound semi's don't make a happy mix of highway users on this congested part of SR 28

Status

Stage 1 of this project constructed an extension of Eastmont Avenue to the SR 28/ US 2/97 intersection at the east end of the Odabashian Bridge and included improvements to SR 28 and US 2/97 from 35th Street to 38th Street, to support the new intersection connection to the extension of Eastmont Avenue. The 2005 Transportation Partnership Funding package provided $53.5 million of gas tax money for construction of stage 1 of this project.

The Final EIS responds to over 190 public comments that were received during the Draft EIS public review period. Upon careful consideration of both public comments and the environmental analysis, Alternative 3B was selected as the Preferred Alternative. It consists of constructioin of an extension of Eastmont Avenue from the intersection of US 2/97 and Sunset Highway to Badger Mountain Road. Sunset Highway will be widened to five lanes including a median and u-turn intersections.

The Final EIS marked the implementation of a corridor plan to improve safety, access, freight mobility and planning for the future growth in the SR 28 corridor.

Douglas County was responsible for the design and construction management of the Eastmont Extension.

Why is WSDOT
addressing congestion in the SR-28 corridor?

The purpose of the Eastside Corridor project is to identify a transportation alternative that will enhance the safety and increase the mobility—including the movement of people, goods, and services—on the Sunset Highway Corridor (SR-28) in the East Wenatchee urban area from 9th Street to the Odabashian Bridge. The purpose of the project is to produce an environmentally acceptable transportation solution that balances the needs of the community and improves safety and mobility for north/south travel in the East Wenatchee area.

Nearly 15,000 vehicles traverse the corridor daily—that’s almost one vehicle every ten seconds, 24 hours a day. Congestion and safety hazards along Sunset Highway are continually increasing, which presents a serious challenge to the quality of life and economic vitality of our community and region. The goal of the project is to select an alternative that will meet the transportation needs of the community, making it safer for pedestrians and commuters alike while protecting the natural resources that make our community an attractive place to live.

The End Result
The end result of the environmental impact statement process will be an alternative that meets all Federal and State environmental laws and the preferred alternative also must meet the transportation needs of the region.

Project Benefits

The goal is to achieve:

Reduced traffic congestion.

Improved safety.

Enhanced environmental quality.

Improved livability for neighborhoods within the corridor.

and also to:

Foster the local and state economy.

Accommodate planned regional growth.

What is the project timeline?
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was published in the Federal Register on December 23rd, 2004. WSDOT held a public hearing January 26th, 2005 to get comments in preparation for the Final EIS. The public comment period ran until February 17th. Additional study information was developed over the summer and submitted in the fall of 2005. The Final Environmental Impact Statement was issued on November 22 and was published in the Federal Register on December 1, 2006. A Record Of Decision was submitted to FHWA in January. The FHWA approval was the final step in the process as the Record of Decision was issued in May, 2007.